The centrifugal spinning of fibers from pitch is known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,653 teaches a process for centrifugally spinning carbon fibers which have an isoclinic microstructure which imparts excellent thermal and electrical conductivity to the fibers. However, the process taught in that application is subject to interruption due to degradation of the pitch which results in accumulation of tar, coke and other impurities in the rotor which in turn interfere with continuous spinning.
The present invention provides improved throughput of pitch and yields sub-denier pitch carbon fibers with isoclinic microstructure which are particularly useful as reinforcement in polymer matrix composites and for the enhancement of the thermal and electrical conductivity thereof.